Smeg is famous for its small and large appliances, in and out of the kitchen. Last year’s release of the 10-in-1 Countertop Oven was the farthest it went into the air fryer category, opting instead to add the feature to its oven line-up. That is, until now, with the release of the AFC01 Dual Flavour Air Fryer.
On the outside, it doesn’t have the typical utilitarian air fryer design. On the contrary, it looks stylish, so much so that it can just sit on your kitchen countertop as a display. SMEG gave the silhouette a retro-inspired style the brand is known for, with a matte-colored main body and silver SMEG lettering on the front.
Aside from its retro look, the AFC01 also operates differently than standard air fryers. This single-basket air fryer opens from the top. Basically, everything happens at the top, including the controls, via a touchscreen display. There’s also a large viewing window at the top, instead of on the front, with an integrated light so you can see the cooking progress.
Moreover, a flip-open system operated by a central button at the front opens the fryer. At the press of the button, the fryer pops open so you can add or remove the non-stick ceramic basket, which offers a generous 7.3-litre capacity. It features two cooking modes: Crispy and Juicy+Crispy.
Crispy cooks food evenly with a golden-brown color and crunch, ideal for vegetables and breaded meals. Meanwhile, Juicy+Crispy combines hot air circulation with internal steaming. A water reservoir turns droplets into steam inside during cooking. This helps achieve a food texture that’s crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Both modes work alongside manual temperature and time controls. AFC01 also comes with seven preset programs.
Images courtesy of SMEG
